Portable Pet Fences

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learning

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Aug 7, 2009
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We're new to RV-ing. We have two dogs that we take with us. I see that the camping stores sell those portable pet fences. Are they allowed at most parks? Does anyone have experience with these or have you seen them in use? It seems like a great idea when we are at the campsite. It's tough having to have them tethered to a stake or picnic bench so much. Any suggestions about making life a bit easier when you want to have your pets outside with you without a leash?
Thanks!
 
I've been in a number of RV parks where they specifically do not allow them. You should call ahead to any RV park you plan to visit.
 
I've NEVER been to a RV park where I couldn't put up my X-pen for my dogs (I have a Sheltie and a Golden).  However, I can see why they wouldn't be allowed at a CG where the sites were very narrow and not much room for the X-pens.  I avoid those places like the plague and always tell management that I have two dogs and the X-pen.  Please keep in mind, however, even with the X-pen, you won't be allowed to just put your dogs out there and then go on your merry way.  Your dogs should have you right there out with them while in the pen.
 
Most CG will not allow animals outside unattended. Tied to stakes or whatever.
we hav ea different one and put the 2 yorkies out in there playpen for a little while when we are sitting out with them.
 
I have seen them in many cg's, usually with smaller lap dogs. I have never seen cg rules specifically state that they are not aloud, normally rules just state that they cannot be left outside unattended and must be on a specified length leash at all times and picked up after. I think as long as they are restrained in some way and you are always with them when they are outside then your average cg won't say anything.
 
Put your dogs in a pen and leave them and you will make the coyotes very happy.
 
Those handy little fences can be great for small pets but dangerous to humans.  One of our Forumites was stepping over one, tripped on it, and dislocated her shoulder.  Emergency rooms are no fun so be careful if you do use one.

ArdraF
 
We have one X-pen but one is really not large enough.  Dan cut a plastic lattice sheet to fit under the step as a barrier so the pen is open in front of the steps and we use one end as a gate.  We are thinking about getting some snow fenceing type material and making a larger area -OR- getting another X-pen.  We did see the snow type material being used on our last trip and Dan said it look like it worked well.

Of course we never let the girlz out unless we are with them.  We have one large 70 pounder and a small 15 pounder. 

Jennifer
 
I would never leave my dog unattended for even a min.  Would sure hate to loose my 6 lb Yorke.  So I do not need the fence.  When outside he is on the leash. He is my unwavering friend and as such depends on me for security.  To let him down would kill me.
 
ArdraF said:
Those handy little fences can be great for small pets but dangerous to humans.  One of our Forumites was stepping over one, tripped on it, and dislocated her shoulder.  Emergency rooms are no fun so be careful if you do use one.

ArdraF
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I can't understand why anyone would try to get inside an x-pen.  If you need to pick up your pet and it won't come to you, simply "collapse" it until he has nowhere to go.  Another more logical alternative would be to simply open the x-pen and then walk in.  An exercise pen is NOT a fence but rather a portable pen in which to contain your pet.  Dog show folks use them all the time.  At one time I had several and am now down to a Kennel Aire eight panel, 42" tall one, great for my Golden.  Not cheap, but my dogs mean a lot to me, as I'm sure others feel about their's.
 
We travel with 3 indoor-only cats. A relative who no longer RVs gave us his 2 X-pens. Works great for the cats. We have a fence-type material we use for the top or configure the X-pen so as to use part of it for the top, depending on how much space we have. We never have the cats outside if we aren't with them, but they really enjoy the little bit of freedom to be "loose" and we like not having to constantly untangle their leashes from our chair legs, etc. They wear their harnesses with ID tags even in the X-pen.

We have been to RV camps that don't allow any type of outside pet pen, I don't remember now which ones they were.

Sonja & Don
 
I can't understand why anyone would try to get inside an x-pen.
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I think the pen was set up in front of the steps so she could sit on the step and play with her very small dogs.  Unfortunately that day she was outside the pen talking with her two-legged friends and tripped when stepping over the pen to go inside to get something.  Not being a pet owner, I don't know if an x-pen may have a different design or not.  I just wanted to caution those who have the step-over style that they might have more of a problem than they bargained for.

ArdraF
 
ArdraF said:
I think the pen was set up in front of the steps so she could sit on the step and play with her very small dogs.  Unfortunately that day she was outside the pen talking with her two-legged friends and tripped when stepping over the pen to go inside to get something.  Not being a pet owner, I don't know if an x-pen may have a different design or not.  I just wanted to caution those who have the step-over style that they might have more of a problem than they bargained for.

ArdraF
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Hopefully she wasn't hurt too bad.  But it sure sounds awfully Forrest Gump-ish to me.  I've never seen or heard of a step-over style x-pen before, but I guess crazier things could exist.
 
Maybe they're not the same style of pen.  Anyway, we all have our little disasters and that one was hers.  Mine was falling off a six foot ladder and took longer to heal.  ::)

ArdraF
 
ArdraF said:
Maybe they're not the same style of pen.  Anyway, we all have our little disasters and that one was hers.  Mine was falling off a six foot ladder and took longer to heal.  ::)

ArdraF
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Not trying to "one-up" you, but my worst (of many idiot moves I've made)  was falling backward off the roof of my motorhome as I was finishing cleaning it.  If I had only had a foot or two longer MH, I would've been ok.  Luckily, I pancaked on my back on gravel and was none the worse for wear.  My wife says that I landed more on my head and nothing is harder than that!
 
ArdraF said:
I think the pen was set up in front of the steps so she could sit on the step and play with her very small dogs.  Unfortunately that day she was outside the pen talking with her two-legged friends and tripped when stepping over the pen to go inside to get something. 
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Ardra,
I  know Pam had a problem but might you have been referringto me?  I was visiting Pam who had a pen set up around her steps for the dogs.  This allowed her to get to the dogs without going far.  When I left her rig at dusk I failed to notice the fence at all.  I walked right into it.  I still recall the feeling  ," Oh  shoot, I'm going to fall."  I  fell over the wire fence and landed thud.  Layed on the ground a few seconds to see if I was going to live.  Decided I could still breathe and let out a whimper that caught Pam's attention.  She administered first aide, Ice, bandages and  several weeks later my leg scrapes were healed.  Remind me to show you my scars some time.  But it was MY fault.  I was not paying attention.  The pen kept her dogs safe.

Betty
 
Methinks that anyone leaving a doggie pen, or any other kind of pen or obstruction, out overnight should be required to add marker/warning lights.
 
Tom said:
Methinks that anyone leaving a doggie pen, or any other kind of pen or obstruction, out overnight should be required to add marker/warning lights.
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Howsabout a picnic table or campfire ring?  The same with those?  Methinks not.  That being said, however, some common sense about where objects are placed when visitors may be expected would be advisable.  An old geezer like me falling over the top of an x-pen can have one's life flash before one's eyes!  Luckily for me, the several times I've fallen "into" an x-pen was when they were on grass and neither I nor my dogs were hurt.  Just dumb luck.
 
It would be tough to fall over a picnic table, although I can see someone losing the footing if they stepped in a fire pit. Maybe the answer is to require everyone to carry & use a flashlight in a poorly lit or unlit campground. I usually don't wander into another campsite unless I happen to be camping with the occupant and, in that case, I'd likely know if they had some obstruction planted out there. But I usually take me flashlight after dark anyway.

I'm curious who would liability be attached to in the event someone fell over a hard-to-see obstruction placed in a private campground by a guest camper.
 
Sheltie, just curious, but how can someone who admits to "falling backward off a motorhome" and "falling into an x-pen" several times, call it "Forrest-Gumpish" when someone else has an accident stepping over an x-pen?
 
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